ATF and NSSF Celebrate 25 Years of Partnership with the “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” Anti-Straw Purchasing Campaign

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) are celebrating 25 years of collaboration to prevent the "straw purchasing" of firearms - when an individual illegally buys a firearm on behalf of someone who is prohibited from owning one. This milestone was commemorated with a press conference featuring ATF Deputy Director Rob Cekada and NSSF CEO Joe Bartozzi.

When a criminal is illegally trafficking in firearms or knows they cannot pass a background check, they may try to induce a friend or acquaintance to make the purchase for them. This is a straw purchase, and it is a felony. The " Don't Lie for the Other Guy ™" campaign drives home the message that anyone making an illegal firearm purchase faces a federal felony penalty of up to 15 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.

Straw purchasing firearms poses a serious risk to public safety by allowing guns to get into the hands of those who are a danger to themselves or others. Felons, domestic abusers and people with certain mental health conditions or drug addiction are ' prohibitive persons ' - those not permitted to purchase firearms. Through straw purchasing, these people are able to obtain weapons that are often used in violent crimes like homicides, robberies and gang-related activities.

Recognizing the danger posed by straw purchasing, ATF and NSSF came together in 2000 to launch a groundbreaking public education campaign. The goals were simple but powerful:

• Train firearms retailers to identify and prevent illegal gun purchases.
• Educate the public that buying a gun for someone who cannot legally own one is a serious federal crime with life-changing consequences.

"ATF agents are on the front lines every day-taking down traffickers, dismantling criminal networks, and stopping violent offenders. This campaign helps support their work by cutting off the illegal supply of firearms at the source," ATF Deputy Director Rob Cekada said.

"Firearm industry members, the retailers in neighborhoods and communities across the country, are the first line of defense in the collaborative effort to stop illegal firearm purchases and keep firearms out of the hands of those who should not possess them. NSSF, as the firearm industry trade association, is proud of our 25-year partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the 'Don't Lie for the Other Guy' public education and awareness initiative to reduce these illegal straw purchases," NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi stated. "Retailers want nothing more than to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the 'Don't Lie' initiative has proven to do just that. We look forward to 25 more years."

In 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act gave this campaign new strength by making straw purchasing and firearms trafficking standalone federal crimes with tougher penalties: up to 15 years in prison and fines of $250,000.

In this 25th year of the campaign, ATF has delivered 85 million ad views for the campaign in five different cities and NSSF has delivered 107.4 million total gross media impressions to combat straw purchasing and the violence it breeds.

Watch the full press conference here . Learn more information about this important campaign at https://www.atf.gov/firearms/dont-lie-other-guy . For additional resources visit the National Shooting Sport Foundation's website at: https://nssfrealsolutions.org/ .